Beloved Pagony
by Rya ledgendary
Summary: A young Pirate's life of trail and errors tis about her legancy and how she became know as the Pirate Queen of all the ocean blues.


TO all who reads This is the rough cutting and still very much in the process of being finished, this is a jumble of chapters, So to all who were wondering what the hell PAGE PAUSE ment it is because it leaps ahead, some areas don't have that much of a leap while others do.

Pirate Karelle

From a young age Ayrus was an unknown beauty, her long curly ruby locks with just a hint of gold that highlighted her creamy complexion. She normally wore it pulled back in a loose bumpy ponytail or a knotted bun. She had a heart shaped face, angular cheek bones set perfectly so her cheeks would have a slight hallow in between her upper jaw and lower. Slightly slanted eyes her emerald green could shave the rough edges right off any emerald of choice. Long thick lashes natural and hardly touched by make-up, thin arched brows pert nose which was accessorized with a rectangular set of glasses adjusted onto the bridge of her nose. Her plump pale pink lips were normally parted in moments of concentration gave her a natural flirty look as she worked diligently.

Ayrus was short for her age, slender around the middle with strong shoulders and wide set hips. Typically her slender frame was covered with an old t-shirt and her muscular athletic legs were hidden beneath jeans. Ayrus a beauty indeed didn't care to be act on the beauty she was. For Ayrus was always lost in her own fantasy world.

"Typical, just typical Dave you leave when I need you the most congratulations you win the dad of the year award, honey get ready to go to your soccer game." The blond headed woman said she rounded her fiery blue eyes and bore holes into her husband as he stood holding his golf clubs watching the little girl who had been addressed scurry up the stairs.

"You knew I had a game today Dorian. I can't continue to remind you every second of the day that I had a business meeting on the green, taking her is on your way to pick up Ayrus not that much of a stretch now is it?"

"Ayrus is home now Dave but you wouldn't know that seeing how you choose to be absent in her life. You're her father Dave good gods show some interest I don't know how you managed to get along with her before you met me." Dorian huffed wrapping her slender fingers around her metal coffee mug and turned to face him once again with full bulging arms.

"I had a full time mom for a wife, I worked like I do now, when she died Ayrus was already sixteen and seemed perfectly fine with raising herself." Dave whispered the thudding sound of feet came and twin blond girls came running down the stairs dressed in their soccer gear. Dorian sighed and shook her head frustrated.

"All I am saying is a little help would be nice, if you think it is health for Ayrus to be locked in the basement for hours on end listening to that awful classical music then we will let her do what she wants, she nineteen right? What could we possibly do to aid her in anyway?"

"You are being sarcastic Dorian, she is a grown girl, and she enjoys working alone with her writing." Dorian rolled her eyes as she pushed past him ushering the girls out with a commanding voice and her foot gently pushing them from behind. Dave fallowed after her shutting the door and headed to his own car while Dorian loaded the girls up while stuffing her things in the truck of the van.

From the basement window Ayrus watched amused by her families antics and walked back to her red chestnut desk where her computer waited patiently with its screen saver scrolling across the screen every five seconds saying: Use me!

Plopping to the pink computer chair she pulled the string on the ancient desk lamp woke her computer up. On the front screen was a blank word document. Sliding her slender fingers over the plastic clear keys she placed them in their positions and began writing. She had been waiting for hours for peace and quite and it was finally hers. She started with a slight tilt to her head her lips slowly parting as her fingers started flowing over the keys like water over the smooth pebbled ground.

The day was one of great heat, the morning sun was gone to its high position setting the city streets ablaze…and the buildings lit on fire and everyone ran…

She sighed deleting the whole sentence and started again.

The quite peeps of the young robins stirred the young woman from her sleep; her heavy lashes flickered briefly across her face as she opened her aqua eyes looking at the room around her. This wasn't where she fell asleep, nor was it a place she had been before now. Lifting her head from the bed she sat up carefully and slowly and looked around the room.

Now started, Ayrus fingers went into over-drive and flashed over the keys quickly keeping pace with her ideas. The story was forming, and soon she was reaching her thirtieth page she was wrapping up the chapter when her family all herded into the house once again yelling at each other. Staring at the screen longingly Ayrus turned to the door as a small knock came. Her brow raised skeptically but another came, this one hard and full of force.

"DINNER!" Dorian yelled with a quick roll of her eyes Ayrus removed her glasses from her nose. Rubbing her tired eyes she headed below to the large tiled kitchen plopping to her usual seat at the table. It was quite for a brief moment before once again everything erupted into chaos.

"What do you mean I spend too much at the mall, I went last month?" Dorian stressed her sharp angled face contorted with anger. Ayrus felt her brow raise a bit as she swiveled her gaze to her father. "You spent six hundred dollars; the bank called me and asked if it was legit!"

"I don't think this is a time to be discussing this." The shrill reply as she looked over at Ayrus who raised her hands in defense. "Don't stop on my account." They both sighed and started eating again, fuming.

The twins were too young to really pay attention to what was going on, they were more interested in dipping their carrots in the sea of mash potatoes saying the few stray pieces of corn were the islands. Ayrus watched with interest before leaning over to them with her own carrot stick.

"What do you call this island?" She asked the twins giggled and turned to her.

"Not an island it's a territory, the mermaids live here and protect these three islands that lead the way to one very important island."

"Why is it important?" She pried.

"Because on that island is the greatest treasure of all." Ayrus smiled wiggling her brows making them laugh. "What is the treasure?"

"Whatever you want most." The girls laughed and Ayrus picked up her plate and headed to the kitchen to dump her left over food into a container. Tossing it aimlessly into the fridge she shut the heavy door and jumped as Dorian stood there.

"What did you do today?" She asked walking past her to the counter giving her a knowing look over her shoulder. "Worked." Ayrus lied and walked out of the kitchen all together.

She didn't get back up stairs till late and found her document waiting for her she typed a few more pages and created her main character, a character that would be crime itself but not evil. Her name would be Karelle, the name her mother used to call her when she was still alive; it meant brave soul in African. Now Karelle the fiercest pirate on all five of the ocean blues. Her life quest was to find the lost treasure of Davy Jones and become the Pirate queen. Satisfied with her character she glanced outside watching the newly fallen rain falling on her window in silver sheets. A small knock on her door made her jump but turn to it nonetheless.

"Come in." She called the twins came inside sheepishly.

"Hi girls…what's up?"

"Ayrus can you tell us a story?" Ayrus smiled and nodded. "Of course have a sit."

"It's about that island you were telling me about at dinner." They clapped happily and nodded.

"Pirate Karelle by law under the king himself you are charged with, Piracy punishable by death. Charged with murder punishment is death, treason against the king, punishable by Death."

"Kidnapping, aiding in the escape of other pirate, stealing from the king as well as plundering, all punishable by death!" A youth called from the side her slender neck held tightly by course rope fibers. The man reading her sentences looked over at Karelle then the governor who waved a gloved hand for him to continue on with the sentence. Karelle sighed raising her fine arched brows blowing a strand of her red hair from her face. Her slender face was kissed by the suns rays, her green eyes looked as if she had seen things no man should have to see. The green deaths swam with blues giving her a clear ocean blue/green. Her red hair came to mid back but was short up to her mid-shoulder blades while the front was longer and filled with random braids and beads.

She was wearing her traditional clothing, a black corset only tight at the bottom, loose towards her bust. The white cotton shirt beneath the black corset yawned with a wide mouth hanging over her slender shoulders. The thick black belt around her waist would have holstered her pistol and blade. But what made Karelle essentially Karelle, was she still stuck to the rules of women wore skirts, though her skirt was only long on the side her weapons rested. The other side showed her red and white stripped pants and tall boots stopping just beneath her knee over the cup of her calf.

The man started reading again and Karelle raised her head looking up at the top of the noose that hung around her neck then looked at the trap door beneath her measuring the distance of the door.

"All punishable by death." The man finished looking over for good measures at the annoyed youth who rolled her emerald eyes blowing a loose strand of hair from her disgruntled face again as a warm breeze breathed against her skin caressing her neck raising the hair on the back of her neck. The black hooded man walked to the lever resting his large black gloved hands on the wooden pull bar.

"Any last words?" The governor called from his seat adjusting the hat that rested on his long gray wig.

"Aye, why do ye all feel it necessary to make him wear that, ye know they only wear that when they are cutting _off_ heads not hanging, ye be not in costume, ye should look like the rest of these frilly fools!" Karelle called to the large man who pointed to his large chest then gripped the level and was about to pull.

"Common fashion courtesy is all, be prepared for the future."

"There will be no future!" The masked man cried and yanked the lever. Karelle gasped spreading her legs catching the side of the doorway her toes fully extended to get reach the distance of the gap beneath. The crowd muttered then a cry went up for Karelle to be pushed through.

Once the cries started Karelle looked at the men rushing towards her and looked around for any alternatives. The first man came about to push her foot off but with a swift motion Karelle pushed off onside to the other grabbing the man's waist with a hook leg pulling herself forward and threw her head forward smashing his head. Kicking him to the side his sword flying out of its sheath into the air from the momentum, fallowing the blade with careful eyes she leaned a few inches as the blade came down slicing the ropes on her wrist freeing her hands just as her legs fell through the hole.

Gasping for air as the noose tightened around her as she hung in place her hands holding her up enough not to snap her neck when she fell. The first to rush her was a large burly man with a thick beard and bands of tight muscle. He reared his large muscle bound arm backwards prepared to punch her at full force. A quick glace of his shoulder she watched as more men rushed forwards behind him. Reaching up higher on her tightening rope she pulled her legs up kicking at full force into the man's chest knocking the men behind down as well. Carefully she flipped her legs upwards using the rope to climb up upside down into the hole again so she could remove her noose. Once that was done she fell into the hole again missing the hand prepared to grab her.

She raced through the crowds avoiding the grappling hands that came at her. Reaching the end of the road she stepped onto the fine fort fall and looked behind her as the guns were run out.

"Shoot her!" A shrill voice cried over the hollers of the men. Karelle turned completely to face them her full lips parted in a coy grin. "Next time have the courtesy to dress correctly!" She bowed extravagantly and leapt off the walling turning to face the water a good distance below. She posed her arms ahead of her and dove into the clean deep waters of the ocean.

Once all the bubbles settled around her she looked up at the blurry vision of the guards above her, bullets sped past her in the water creating little trails as they whizzed past. Swimming carefully to deeper water she held herself with a rock waiting it out. She hid closer to the rock and closed her eyes calming the panic in her mind for not breathing. Once the bullets stopped she moved away from the rock and swam towards the surface. Taking a big gulp of air as her head broke the water's barrier she turned and looked at the distant cliff she had plunged off of and smiled turning her attention to the large black ship.

"I see ye took a little longer then expected, we will be late now!" A gruff voice from above came she smiled grabbing the rope that fell into the water dragging with the ship for a moment as she regained her breath then began pulling herself up.

"Start sailing we know our heading!" She called pulling herself up the side of the boat as it dropped sails. Once up to the wheel she jerked it to the side as the men below scrambled about to drop the sails.

"Oy Gillis what are you doing down growing daisies?" Karelle yelled leaning over the rail. Her fiery hair whipping around her face as the violent wind that filled the white sails above her, "Nay milady I am looking for me rum!" He called hoisting a heavy rope with a few other men.

"Really? Because it looks like your fooling around we don't have time to waste here! Those navy ships will be see our sails and we will have a disadvantage if we don't catch the wind at our back end lets get going!" She yelled turning the wheel a little more towards the north

"Am I to presume ye've gotten what ye went in for?" Gillis voice came from the side Karelle looked up from the leather note book in her hand.

"Aye, the map to greatest treasure of all, Davy Jones's!" She said waving the book and looked out onto the horizon the crew paused nervously muttering about a curse some doing a ritual to ward away said evil spirits. "With all do respect missy do ye really think we can catch up to yer brother now?"

"He may have had the head start Gillis but he isn't known for his navigational skills." He grinned and went to the railing.

"Tighten those sails we've time to make up!"

Karelle spun the wheel a wild grin on her lips as she set sail for the horizon.

"That isn't possible you said it yourself that Davy Jones's hid the treasure in a place impossible to get to, no man could make it unless they had no fear. You're telling me Captain Karelle set sail to an impossible place." A voice broke threw Ayrus's story. She looked down at the twins and nodded. She smiled pretending to be cross with the girls who zipped their lips and sat quietly.

"Aye, there was no talk about no man; I was talking about a woman!" She said the girls giggled and Ayrus settled down again. "Now Karelle was exiled with her first mate not too long after setting sale, the map stolen by her greedy crew and she was left for dead…"

"Milady you have been here for three days in that seat don't you have a home?" The bartender asked the cloaked woman who quietly set her drink down. Reaching up she removed her hood releasing her fiery locks watching as it fell around her shoulders. Her emerald eyes gleamed as she turned her attention to the two men yapping at the table close to her seat at the bar.

"Aye, tis the bottom of every drink!" She said with a grin and raised her glass to cheer, "Drink up me Hearties yo ho!"

"Aye that I did but I heard she didn't make it to Davy's treasure, a mutiny was cast upon her and she was forced to jump ship with her first mate Gillis." The scrawny man shook his head in dismay.

"No one has heard from her since." The woman sitting at the bar set her finished mug down again and staggered to her feet she saluted to the bartender and swaggered her way to the table leaning down to their level.

"Until now," she whispered smiling at them as their eyes grew wide their jaws dropped. She righted herself then walked out of the bar. The men looked at each other then the door.

"W-wasn't that…"

The night air was chilled from the winter mist with the low temperature on the waters, an eerie fog swept over the docks breathing through the sand and over the bank into the city. It was a particularly dreary night with the heavy cloud cover threatening rain above. Karelle walked into the alley hiding the pirate bar and onto the main street.

She had only gone inside for information on the latest pirate news, the best came from those who were drunk or had just gotten in from sea.

So far the past three days had been a bust. No new ships had entered the harbor and no new information came.

She glanced over at the sudden noise off to the side, pausing for a moment as a black boney feline sauntered out of the caliginous alleyway into the lifeless street. Turning her eyes away she caught sight of a wanted flyer posted on the red crumbly brick wall.

"The Pirate Reaper huh? Wanted for more then three of my own heads? Well that wont do!" Karelle said looking at the smudged picture in the center. "It's been a while since we had our little run in," the paper fluttered to the ground while she walked into the street again and headed up to the Governors home. Pirates weren't the only source of her information.

Fine dresses, wine, food and music, however, mediocre personalities, Karelle stood apart from the other guests of the party; it was a party to celebrate the return of the Governors son Jude the Great as the people called him. Pirates knew him as the Pirate hunter.

But as she stood watching him make his rounds among the ladies she realized he was nothing more then a skirt chaser, nothing had changed from their last encounter. He never fostered any emotion for any of them; he just picks those who would rest in his bed.

Taking a stake knife she stabbed a chunk of meat and raised it to her lips popping it inside, she set the knife down in a reach-able area and chewed. She had managed to get in with a group of ladies who thought she had been with them the whole time; stealing a dress from the closed clothing store she was able to look the part with little effort. Fidgeting with the beaded line across the hem of her neck she watched the party again. She would never admit it but being in a dress of such fine cloth made her nervous and feel highly out of place.

"New to dressing in fine clothing?" A voice from the side came. She narrowed her eyes then turned to the voice, Jude. Twisting her body with professional ease she turned so that the large dress fell back to its normal place and not, in anyway, going to trip her up later. She now faced him with a sweet innocent smile.

"Why would that be brought to question?"

"The nervous stance while standing here at this table, you wont move from you place, and you are far to thin to be a woman with money." She raised a brow. He knew his women well, but Karelle was far from being a woman who was easy for one man to read.

"I have been bed ridden for thrice weeks, explains the lack of a voluptuous body; I haven't worn anything the smoothest cotton in bed for my skin was so sensitive and nervous? Don't make me laugh Jude, three weeks of rest doesn't do the muscles any good." He grinned and nodded his hands firmly clasped behind his back as he turned slightly to look at the crowd.

"Dance with me let us exercise those muscles for your ease and grace shall be one of reckoning." He said softly she tilted her head then gave a nod as he led her onto the floor of spinning couples in fine clothing. The music was light and frothy it was meant to keep the guest moving with speed rather then having time with awkward conversations.

He spun her slowly out the collected her slender waist into his hands taking her right hand into his. Pulling her closer then necessary she felt her lips turn upwards at the corners. Just as they took their positions the music changed to one of intense moods, slow but passionate, a dance between lovers.

"Where are you from?" he inquired. A test. Jude was a wise one he knew all to well that Karelle wasn't who she said she was. He twirled her with controlled ease and pulled her back to him with a stern controlling jerk.

"Marseilles" He nodded satisfied.

"Grew up poor and worked your way up?" He asked.

"Something like that, what about you?"

"Well you know me Normandy, beautiful coast we have." She pressed her lips.

"I do know you, a military man; yer first and foremost goal is to be a skirt chaser. You adore women but woe be the woman who hopes to be your "one and only" in your small closed off heart. You hate politics, murder and you are known for your hate for piracy." He nodded impressed and looked over carefully spinning her once more.

"How did I do?" She added as an after thought when he brought her close again.

"Fairly accurate if I do say so myself but the only people who know I hate pirates are the pirates themselves, Karelle."

"Yes it is a curse knowing you sail the seas hunting my kind down, yet, you asked me to dance."

"We are only dancing because I want to know what you know, why you're here for instance." Karelle grinned gripping his hand tightly making his composed face falter just enough to make her satisfied. He tightened his grasp around her waist tightening the corset. She gasped digging her nails into his shoulder.

"You want to know why I am here yet, you pulled yourself from the beloved sea and came home, tell me why and I will answer your question." He whipped her around painfully her red hair tossed to the side catching the beads of her gown then slid back to their place as he joined them back into the spinning line of dancers. Recovering her breath she stomped her foot down on his foot making him wince.

A small group of women fluttered their fans watching the dance between their beloved Jude and a newcomer.

"It almost looks as if he is in pain to dance with her" One said fluttering her fan at her lips. The other only opened her fan a quarter of the way a symbolic sign for disrespect.

"Ladies of course it pains him to dance with an inbred woman just look at her hair, not one of a lady, he only has eyes for me." The brunet said twirling her curls over her shoulder. This Lady Marilee known for her frequent visits to Normandy, she possessed a home just north of the Governors home.

"Oh Marilee you are quite right I do think he fancies you quite a bit!"

Karelle kept her face composed as he gripped her tight again from another spinning whiplash. "I am back because my father's birthday is in two days, and after nine months at sea only eating what we pick up in port just doesn't taste the same as it does in your home town."

"I am here because I am looking for something." He raised a blond brow a strand of his long hair fell from its tie. She looked over at the girls as they once again passed and looked at the fan still residing in the young woman's hand. Karelle raised a testy brow and reached up with soft fingers and tucked the hair behind his ear. He looked over to the side and she smiled as they gasped and looked at each other fluttering their fans in disapproval.

"I have a thought" He said taking a long step forward so she had to strain to keep up. "Oh?" She inquired slipping her foot into his stride making him trip.

"Yes, you tell me why your really here and I will give you a head start before I send for the guards."

"Oh don't go soft on me, we have history Jude." He chuckled and a new chime was added to the music, it was going to end soon.

"Ah yes coming from the woman who ticked me into bed and stole from my treasury! I wouldn't call that history my love."

"I only stole a few things and I left something behind,"

"What?" He demanded halting their movement. She touched his face softly a cunning grin pressed her lips. "A rather satisfied smile." He stared at her and she moved away from him and over to the side. He pulled her back and into frame stepped forward again she took his lead with ease he was thinking.

"So what are you looking for exactly?"

"My Ship to be honest."

"You? Honest?"

"I know hardly two words to be strung together in a sentence but yes, a ship is what I am after." He nodded satisfied then lifted her angled chin slightly her lips parted from looking up her green eyes blazed with that passion he found so alluring. Pirate or not she was something more to him, something Jude wouldn't dream of say aloud let alone to Karelle who seemed to care for him as much as she did a dog.

"As for you end of the bargain I have upheld my end, a head start it will be, good-bye Jude." She moved from his gentle touch walking briskly to the side past the glaring school of women and out the massive white carved doors.

Jude looked to his guards once she was away from his sights, giving them a single swift bow they nodded and headed after her. The guards hadn't needed the signal to know what order he was going to send them, for they picked up on his clenched fist and the anger in his tight jaw.

"Jude my love who was that vulgar woman?" Marilee asked fanning her angelic face looking up at the flustered Jude who watched the doorway then turned to Marilee.

"A pirate."

CHAPTER 2

After escaping from land back to sea Karelle discovered her way out wasn't the wisest of plans, for the ship she managed to get onto was a slave ship, selling women and children to wealthy owners. Sitting calmly in the clammy damp cell she listened to the mournful cries of the women and children a few cells away. The comforting sound of the ocean to her back she seemed oddly snug for being in her position.

Opening her eyes she looked over as the door opened and the captain's boots could be head as he walked down the wooden steps stopping before her iron barred door.

"So it is true we have caught the nye un-catchable?" he chuckled amusing himself. Captain Boron wasn't one for looks, his mused brown hair was twisted and knotted here and there. His cruel cold eyes and a foul mouth left little to be desired. He was round from gluttony, a thick brown beard, un-kept, on his square face caused his cold eyes to appear beady and none threatening. She settled down comfortably against the wooden wall and closed her eyes again.

"Captain I would think you would have a boat to sail." He huffed, "A Ship as it were, show respect for the vessel you be sailing with!" he snapped she smiled cracking an eye as he headed over to the other cells to check on his prisoners then went back to his post. She opened her eyes again once the door had been closed above. Opening her other eye she looked around and slowly got her feet and walked over to the gated door. Seeing it was still partially unlatched she smiled about to open it.

She swore to the gods as if her bad luck needed to be worse as she was jolted with the ship. Reaching forward she grabbed the bars to prevent from falling backwards locking it under her weight under her weight.

Falling backwards she tumbled head over heels to the wall and groaned rubbing her tender head she sat up looking at the side of her to the back side of the ship, seeing three large metal barbs holding the ships together. She started towards the gate again on braced hands and knees. Blowing a strand of hair from her face she stared at the lock and ran a slender hand down her face.

"Well this is a rather unlucky spell…" She mumbled hearing the door unlatch from above. She jumped backwards as the door opened she settled down against the wall again and pretended to be sleeping.

"Well now this be and interesting event, come to take the goods to find something worthy of taking." Her red brows furrowed, she knew that voice from her past.

"Don't you think this cell is a mediocre level for you to be stuck behind bars?"

"Who am I to turn down a free ride?" She asked opening her eyes looking over at the handsome man standing before her his name was Dom. Pirates normally didn't have the charming good looks such as the man who stood before Karelle now. His hair was short, uncommon among the men of the time period. On his dashingly handsome face, rugged sideburns coming half way down his jaw line to a slight point. The rest of his tan face was smooth and well kept surprisingly clean for not having a regular baths. His dangerous light blue eyes were soul piercing and felt as if they could read the very thoughts of those who looked into them.

He wore a black tight shirt open chest revealing his smooth tan hide underneath, the shirted covered his broad shoulders and was rolled up to the elbow revealing his bulging muscles, perfectly sculpted and well maintained abs that were at the bottom of the slit in the shirt and went down leaving more for the imagination. He was known for his skills as a swordsman, so his hands were callused from duels. He was not known for his pirating skills however, which was because he was never caught as a pirate. On the seas he was a fearsome pirate that pirates and merchants knew yes, but on land he was a well known merchant.

Karelle stood her lanky legs lifting her body with ease; leaning against the bars she wrapped her slender fingers around the metal bars giving a coy smile.

"You would have taken over this ship already if you were getting a free ride my sweet? What stopped you?" he asked leaning close to her face she smiled bigger their faces inches apart.

"Ye locked the door, a minor set back." She whispered he raised a brow and she moved away from him before he could close the distance. He caught himself as she moved away and crossed his strong arms across his chest.

"I locked yer door from way up there?" Her movement obviously aggravated him, none the less satisfaction was written all across her face.

"Oh shocker right with ye colliding ships with dangerous weapons of mass destruction!" Karelle pointed over to the side where the huge blades piercing the wooden side and the water dribbling inside quickly from the tall waves.

"Well when I arrived I didn't know I would be enjoying your lovely company. Or I would have been much gentler." He cooed his lips tugged into a stunning grin, he gripped the bars leaning slightly against them; she whipped around facing him again.

"That's a tall tale the last time you enjoyed my company you left me stranded on an island! And gentle? You are far from being gentle." She sauntered forward reaching the for the same bar he held and leaned towards him again, the door flew open again and bodies tumbled down making them both of them look to the side.

"Capt'n! We be having Navy ships nipping at our heels! It would appear that Pirate hunter Jude has fallowed this ship from Normandy!" Karelle let her arms hanging outside inches from Dom's sword measuring the distance as she looked over at the tall bald man.

"Get what we can pull the hooks I will be there," Dom ordered looking over at her again a playful grin on his lips.

"Would this be that Jude you revealed my position off Spain's eastern coast?"

"That it be, tis payback for telling the Navy and Sho where I was hiding after the plundering Singapore!" He grinned and unlocked the door to her cell making her step back.

"Well then I guess he is still looking for you, incase we don't make it untouched I know how to get free." He reached forward grabbing her easily even with her struggling arms and legs which flailed pounding his back and kicking his chest with her knees. They started up the stair. She looked for anything finding the wooden rain and reached for it digging her nails into the soft wood she held herself there pulling them backwards and to the ground rolling with the sway of the ship with jerked from cannon fire.

Karelle pulled her fingers into a fist crushing it into his iron like jaw twice before he caught it easily with quick fingers. He stood up yanking her to her feet prepared to drag her up the stairs when the ship jerked again flinging them to the wall beside them. Karelle swayed rolling off the wall falling into another cell. The women and children down the way cries louder and became apparent to her ears as she lifted her head from the ground seeing spots of blood running along the crease in the riveted wood. Wincing she touched her head and staggered to her feet again.

She must have hit her head harder then she thought as blood leaked over her eyes clouding them with a painful sting. Making it to the women with the aid of the wall she turned to look behind her she looked for a key to unlock then women and children. Stepping forward the ship rocked with a crushing boom as cannon fire exploded into the side of the side created a large hole through the prison area. She flew into the wall again protecting her head with her arms as the ship rocked trying to regain buoyancy. Lifting her head she staggered to the left falling to the ground sliding along the isle way as the waved struggled against the side, the hooks were ripping the siding and water was begging to pour inside.

By the time Karelle pulled her head she was already partially underwater, she started again towards the cell and looked at the women and children. Searching again for the keys finding them on the far wall, the ship rocked again, she gripped the bars tightly in order to catch herself, as the ship continued to writhe from the blades.

"Karelle!" a voice called from the side she looked over at Dom and frowned. With the nearing cannon, she fumbled with the key and looked over at Dom again as he held his own bleeding forehead holding his weight on the wall beside him. He wadded his way over to her as she freed the women and children. They raced past them and up the stairs while she walked to him as the ship gave a mournful moan as another cannon rippled the ship shattering the mast above. The women screamed and hurried up the stairs as a loud a terrible crash came from above.

"Ten shillings that was the mast and we be very stuck…" Karelle said tossing the keys to the side watching as they sank into the knee deepening water. Turning her body, Karelle looked back over at Dom on the staircase who was examining the damage and shook his head.

"It wouldn't make sense for me bet against ye Karelle, I typically loose." She smiled and nodded wadding though the water into the cell looking at the blades and the holes.

"Dom does it normally take this long to get the hooks out?" She asked he shook his head. "It be stuck because they be firing back to your dear Jude.

"We will discuss this at a later date; right now I think our best bet is to jump ship to sea." He nodded and together they gathered a bucket and a couple rags and headed to the blades. "Leverage them enough to get a gap big enough for your shoulders." She ordered walking to the side where the holes already were while he used the bucket to push the sharp edges. Karelle wrapped her hands in the cloth and started ripping pieces of wood from the already torn holes. The wider she made them the more the water fell in inside the boat an alarming rate. Waist deep in salt water she winced as the holes grew large enough for them to fit through but at the cost of several gashes into her hands. The salty sting burned and her head throbbed.

Dom came over tossing the bucket to the side and helped her into the groove holding her steady as she looked at the damage. Eyeing the blade carefully she made her way from the hole but stopped.

"Why are ye stopping?" He demanded. She laughed and gripped the outer wall of the ship. "Me hips are stuck!" She cried. "What!" He cried ripping the wood around her hips.

"Gentle! God I am made of flesh and blood!" She cried as splinters pieced her skin. "Forgive me your highness!" He called after her then stepped away getting a running start and shoved her threw shoving her over board with a scream. He grinned and crawled through himself and dove into the waters.

"What the hell was that?" She yelled slapping the waters into Dom's face as the Ship writhed again beside them. "Improvising my dear you might want to learn!"

"Such educated talk!" She yelled and started swimming to Dom's ship.

"Man overboard!" The shout went up and ropes flew over the sides of the ship to hoist them up. Karelle who was tying to get away was snatched by Dom and hoisted over his shoulder grabbing a rope and started climbing the slender wooden planks to the deck.

Dom came up the steps with the angry Karelle over his shoulder she struggled against his grasp, before he tossing her to his crew and headed towards the wheel.

"Unhook! Let's move on!" Dom yelled the men started moving picking up ropes and tightening on the sails.

"Rat easy on the main!"

"Aye captain!" The man addressed called. The Navy ships were gaining already as the ship turned towards the North. The ship ripped from the other ship creating a sickening sound of crunching wood beside them.

"They gain!" Rat called nervously swinging on a loose rope to the crows nest to another mate, Fingers.

"They hold chase Captain what do we do!"

"Open back sails!" Karelle yelled kicking the two men holding her and ran up the stairs to the second deck.

"Delay that order! Karelle what are ye doing!"

"What are _ye_ doing?" She snapped kicking three men from her path and made her way to the pikes holding the back sails tight.

"Stop her!" Dom yelled but it was too late Karelle kicking the wooden stake holding the ropes until it broke, the line went slack and the rear canvases opened catching the low breeze her sails lightened and filled with captured air. Karelle turned smugly towards Dom who looked up at the sails and behind him at the ships growing distant.

"What the hell was that?" Dom stressed as Karelle came on the bridge beside him.

"Its called eluding capture Dom, perhaps you should learn to do so." She mocked he grumbled something about her being educated and went back to ordering his men

"Take our booty here to the mast tie er' tight want her in sights at all times!" Dom ordered Karelle looked at him then the men who raced towards her. She glared at Dom who bowed. "Be gentle lads she is delicate."

"Tis a beauty, that Karelle does live up to the fine title of the goddess of the sea." Fingers said coming up beside Dom who turned the wheel slightly to adjust the course at hand.

"Aye that she is, but looks are how she manipulates people." He handed the wheel over to him. He walked down the steps towards the front of the ship where Karelle was bound and tied to the mast her fingers working away at the knot..

"Where can we drop you your highness?" Karelle turned looking over at Dom and smile turning in her seat to face him. She pulled her knees up to her chest and gave a slight tilt of the head. Her red locks fell over shoulder falling to the wood beneath her.

"Not an island, or land for that matter if you could bring me to my ship I would be in your debt and wont feel the reason to tell the Navy your two boat secret." His eyes widened and turned his whole body to turn towards her. She patted the wood and leaned over slightly to look at from of the ship where the guardian resided on the front. The skeleton body of a woman fought the waves her long hair stretched over the front of the ship.

"The Deeds looks so much cleaner and more like a merchant boat…ship sorry, but the Deals ah yes she is a mighty fine ship." There was a big difference in the two ships; the Deeds had a full bodied woman on the front matching the Skeleton one on the Deals. Dom pirated in the Deals to strike fear into those he hunted, but also so they would know he was coming, he used the other to sell the goods at port without being arrested for piracy.

"Didn't think I knew did ye."

"I was more on the lines of hoping ye didn't, ye know me too well."

"I should we were in love at one point, all mighty Dom the most fearful pirate on the seas! You relished in your fame and reputation as a bloodthirsty murderer, what was it they are calling you know? The reaper? But little do the people know you had a lover you made your ships after…" He grinned pulling his blade out holding to her throat. She leaned against it denting her skin but not cutting. She leaned closer stretching the last of her restraints fully, this in turn forced him to pull the blade back a bit lest he kill her.

"I also heard that a phantom was on the seas, a man possessed with carnage, once he sets his eyes on a ship he takes no prisoner. This is twice I have been taken as an attempted prisoner."

"Where is your ship?" He asked lowering the blade.

"We were headed towards Grandline when I was pushed off; I ended up on a ship back to where I started."

"Well then let me be of assistance you." She didn't like the way that sounded, he was never known for kind actions, ex-lover or not. She found herself walking down the slender plank no longer wearing her gown from the party. Turning in just her under dress she looked at him as he held the silk gown.

"Cant have ye using this for sails," Dom called.

"Should have known ye would throw me in tiger shark waters, what am I to assume from a pirate I would have done you no better, in fact if I were you I would I have said, I have discovered you have a brother and is waiting in Grandline like he said he would when he left you to fend for yourself at such an early young age, but then again Dom ye knew that because I was the one who told you about him all those years ago, then ye could have said ye were taking me there. Now this is where I would have come in, not shark infested water for I would know the girl I was sending off swam fast and had a pocketful of woman's scorn." She turned facing the sea in front of her an island not to far off. With that she leapt off hand bound in front of her at the wrist her feet tied tightly together.

Hitting the chilled water she sank deep with the weight of the dress and started swimming. Above the men all rushed to the side of the ship to see what had become of her and looked at Dom who stared at the plank.

"She hasn't surfaced," Fingers called.

"Aye you wont see her pop'n her head up she be a mighty swimmer even with her young age those sharks wont be mess'n" Dom called and moved away from the sight to the wheel. They all went back to work on deck and the ship turned north away from the small island.

Karelle surfaced a few seconds later turning to look at the ship sailing away and growled slapping the water with her bound hands and started towards the island.

~*~

"Lord Jude we have spotted the pirate ship up ahead shall her send notice and pursue?" the commander asked looking over to the blond who stood looking out over the sea.

"Aye." Came the simple reply. Jude was busy watching the waters of the wild untamed sea; he couldn't help it but to think of the never tamable Karelle. She was the Sea itself, her movements were never charted, unpredictable like smooth sails or white caps. A small sigh escaped his lips. She wasn't a Pirate she was their Queen their actions were based on her, even at her young age. Thinking of the power she could have with the map to the grandline was more then enough to make him want to have her killed but a part of him wanted nothing more then to shield her from the world.

Jude walked away from his window in the study and sat at his neck bending his head over a couple of maps before him. One was old and had seen better days, on the top in faint ink scrawled in aliquant hand writing reading 'Grandline'

"Wait Jude knows about the Grandline? I thought only Pirates knew of the grandline!" Keira said looking at Ayrus who looked down at her from her place in space she had been staring off into. "Yeah Ayrus how is that possible?" Her twin meg cried.

"Lord Jude was the one who discovered the map before Karelle Stole it from a governor off the African shores." Their mouths all gapped and nodded, "Oh!" They chimed in unison.

"So how did he get it?" Ayrus smiled and nodded. "Well listen we will get there."

"After smashing the ropes with a rock Karelle dropped the tight ropes to the side for later use. She set to work on her shelter walking to the palm tree she wondered about where the hell she was then pushed the thought from her mind and looked around her for materials. Short of Palm leaves and sand there wasn't anything of real use for anything else on the island…"

"Some rum would be enjoyable…"She said lowly then sighed laying back in her makeshift housing, hardly a place she could be proud of, she never was any good at making shelters for herself. She sighed and dug her toe into the sand looking out to the seas where Dom had sailed off once again and smiled. A large black storm was forming in his direction, the direction of the Grandline none the less, the first door to hells mouth.

~*~

"Captain the sails can't hold anymore wind, tis a beast storm." A faint voice called from the deck below on Dom's ship. Dom looked down at the man who was washed to the mast by the water that spilled on board; his hard eyes narrowed looking into the darkened skies then to his crew again. Since the dropping of Karelle their sails were full of a stormy wind, they were headed for Grandline's first gate to see if it really existed, he didn't need Karelle to know where it was said to be, but he didn't know there was a guarded mountain for a first gate however. The grandline was a dangerous place that not many pirates ever made it through more then two gates.

"Drop the sails toss in the ties we are sitting to see if the storm ever lets up so we can see what we are up against. "

"Aye, Aye" the crew called and went to work doing as they were told wrapping the sails up tightly they all watched the Mountain, a mountain in the middle of the ocean, it seemed impossible! No it was impossible for a mountain this sized to be here un-noticed.

~*~

Staring at the horizon Karelle could see the thundering clouds from a storm nearing her island. Standing upright she wrung her red locks from the water and through them over her shoulder. She rinsed her naked body in the water then walked to the sandy beach once again where her dress air dried on the tough material of the wrapping on the palm tree. Pulling the cotton dress over her head she flipped the edges of her hair from the collar and paused looking up as a ship was nearing, three row boats were headed for her loaded with men in uniform.

"Ah Jude ye come to me aid again." She breathed depressed and sat down on digging her heels into the sand looking over to her makeshift home. She had been here for two days and water was looking good even if it was on a navy ship and she was in shackles.

As expected the irons went on as soon as they met her on her island, she even held her slender wrists out for them. Rude as possible they punched her for "not obeying orders" and savagely ripped a nice hole in her pretty cotton dress; they dragged her by her hair to the ship and flung her to Jude's black polished boots. She stared at the wooden planks her blood dripping in a small puddle. She fallowed the red line down a crack then watched as it seeped into a deeper gorge.

"Take her below." His voice made her eyes clamp, it cut through the air like a sword. They picked her up by her arms and dragged her down the stairs. Once to the bottom of the narrow wooden steps the one who had been the starter of the pirate hating bash, was left alone with her while the other man watched the stairs.

"Well now pretty Pirate we have here, not much for a body but out on sea for months, tis a long time to deny oneself the touch of a woman." He said pulling his jacket off she grinned raising her cuffed hands.

"A woman's touch can be as tricky as the sea I assure ye." He grabbed her wrists hooking it to a thin hook. His hands ran up her slender sides to her arms. She looked over to the other man who was looking at them and wiggled her brows leaning against the man behind her. He breathed up her neck it was now or never. Leaning forward she twisted her body on the hook and head butted the man sending him backwards to the iron bars. Covering his forehead in a daze he came back red eyed.

"You pirate scum!" A hand lashed across her face and the door above them opened both men went to attention. She kicked him in the goin and watched as he doubled over. Tugging on the Irons she tried to escape but found she couldn't reach the latch to undo it with her hands together.

"What is going on down here?" An angry voice came. She pulled harder as heavy steps came down revealing Jude's first mate. Mann was a large man, not many would want to go up against him just because of his size let alone he was skilled with a sword as well as several other weapons. Jude came down behind him seeing the two men then Karelle.

"Put these men in holding."

The holding deck was silent for several hours, Karelle leaned against the back wall her hands ached from the tight irons, her wounds burned from the salty mist and dirt. She was hardly dressed anymore but that wasn't really an issue as of right now, she was wet and cold. Not good considering is she caught a cold, there wasn't a doctor that could fix her up.

Soothing fingers graced her chilled face; she opened her eyes startled by her new surroundings. She no longer was held in the cells below she was laying down on a soft bed, in a candle lit room with a warm blanket around her naked form.

"If I didn't know any better I would say you removed my dress for yer own guilty pleasures."

"No I didn't, one of our nurses came to your aid. How are you feeling?" Jude asked sitting on the stool beside the bed. Karelle swallowed thickly then looked at the gentle sway of the flickering candles above her.

"Normal. Thank your for the assistance not many pirates would have gotten such treatment, I am not even sure I would have unless you are going to use it to hold it over my head."

"I am actually" he said bluntly. She rolled her eyes knowing and sat up holding the blanket to her chest. "What is it?" she asked carefully.

"I am heading to the grandline and I need a navigator who knows how to read Pirate maps."

"They are the same maps." She lied he grinned and shook his head. "Don't lie Karelle you aren't good at it. Do you not want to go to the grandline?"

"I do but at what cost Jude? I take you there then what? You kill me? You imprison me too kill me?"

"Neither, you will have a clean slate."

"A clean slate?" She asked he nodded she pushed the blankets from her frame and pushed threw him walking to the side grabbing her dress and pulled its weltered form onto her body. Flinging the door open she walked out onto the empty deck.

Storming her way to the side she pulled herself onto the edge holding the ropes and prepared to jump ship. Jude came to her side leaning on the railing himself.

"You jump I will have my men go get you and this offer will no longer be on the table." She stared at the ocean. To be free would be something that would only be short lived…she was a pirate and would always be a pirate.

"I could give you the world Karelle," Jude said looking up at her she clamped her eyes tight before opening them again to stare again. The salty breeze whispered her name as its mist breathed caressed her face.

"What did you have in mind?"

"So what did she do?" Keira asked excited about the new development between Jude and Karelle. She had developed fan base for the pairing while Meg was the other way and was disappointed and wished for Dom to come back to the picture.

"Well Karelle said yes to the task and would take him to the Grandline for her freedom." Ayrus said the girls cuddled together excited. "But something was weighing on her mind."

The night was dark with looming clouds over head as they began their approach to the first gate. Karelle guided the ship over the growing weaves watching the horizon as for the one she knew would be looming around these parts. The heavy winds swept over the ship pushing the salty seas to the deck causing the men who scramble for their gear and secure everything.

"This storm seems like it is growing…" Jude said as he came to Karelle's side. She narrowed her green eyes and looked at him as he ran a hand through his blond hair.

"The first gate is one of the hardest our ship won't make it through the pass but I know of one that will." She said Jude turned and looked at her confused.

"Why won't our ship make it through the pass?" Jude asked.

"Yes to heavy in the back end the gate will rip us apart."

"Then how do you suspect we get there?" She turned her attention to him and smiled. "Let me worry about that, why don't you get below deck and get gear ready to move to another ship." He nodded hesitantly. Karelle turned the wheel and looked over to the side.

Right on time, she thought seeing a distant ship on the horizon. Being stuck on this large Navy ship for two weeks was more then enough for her. Even though she was treated as one of the crew she hated the fact she was working for hire and not because it was her doing. Knowing with the heavy winds a day tops that distant ship would be upon them and Karelle would be able to get through the first gate.

"Capt'n not to disturb you or anything but you were right I be thinking Karelle stole a Navy ship and has come to first gate." Fingers said walking into Dom's room, he was plotting course lines with a bottle of rum in his hand.

"Which is why I had the crew stay here?"

"Good think'n but they were starting to wonder ye might want to make an appearance ye be down here sulking for three days now!"

"I was not sulking! I was plotting the gate entrance" Fingers nodded and headed back to the door. "Karelle is coming towards us capt'n ye might want to come and order us roughens around." He shoved away from the desk and fallowed after him. They had taken a beating on the sea waiting for an opening in the mountain to show itself. Dom walked up to the deck and looked at the ship that was in the close distance.

"This got me thinking where does Karelle come from?" Fingers asked coming up to Dom who tossed a thick twist rope band to a crew member below deck.

"Karelle doesn't exactly blab about her past, not much behind her I guess." He answered pointing to a spare rope and nodded as three men below tightened the rope and prepared cannons.

"Ye don't know?" he pried. Dom stood upright and sighed. He looked at the ship that was coming to a head and spotted Karelle's wild red head hair flowing in the wind.

"She never told me she has a brother through, Gabe or something like that." Fingers nodded and rubbed his stubbly chin. " Sad, I thought ye two were in love figured she tell ye." He looked up again and rolled her eyes.

"That woman isn't capable of love, run out the long nines fire a warning shot."

"Wait! You can't tell us she has no past. Ayrus that isn't fair!" Meg protested clutching her pillow tightly against her. Ayrus raised a brow looking down at the twins questioningly.

"Karelle should be a princess instead of having such a mysterious past!" Keira said squeezing her unicorn plushie. "A princess wouldn't have a reason to be out on the sea that is why she is a pirate!" Meg stressed pushing her sister Ayrus smiled at the two arguing.

"Maybe she had a hard life and had to grow up with just her brother… perhaps it made her hard in the heart." A voice from the side came. Ayrus turned to the side and looked over at her step mother who was holding onto the white door molding.

"Sorry to interrupt, I was in my bedroom listening. Might I join you guys?" She asked. Ayrus stared at her confused before mustering a quick, "Y-yes of course." Dorian came inside and sat down on the floor with the girls and waited for Ayrus to think of a past for Karelle.

"I got it here we go…"

It was the beginning of a sunny day and the streets of Marseilles were partly deserted. The heat of the last few weeks had made the inhabitants of the poor districts migrate to the harbor in the faint hope of catching the breeze coming from the sea. The rancid and nauseating smell that had pervaded the narrow streets for several days had become fainter, swept away by the unexpected sea breeze. Thus softened, the air seemed breathable again. In the distance, the shouts coming from a motley crowd mingled with the higher-pitched and aerial cries of the seagulls gliding over the city. The market had started very early in the morning, giving the people an opportunity to silence their empty stomachs to the benefit of the merchants who were often too eager to make money.

Leaving the square with rather unusual speed, a young boy appeared, panting and drowned in sweat. He was going so fast that he ran into the dilapidated front of a house but only took an instant to regain his balance and start running again. The light repeated sound of his small bare feet resounded over the dirty cobblestones, barely louder than the bells of the Saint Victor Basilica calling its most fervent faithful for prayer.

"Faster," the child whispered, his eyes wild and his face white. "Faster… Faster…"

His breathing, chaotic due to the fright and exhaustion, was becoming increasingly louder as he ran through the bowels of the city. A few passers-by were violently pushed, crates noisily fell to the ground after him, but he noticed none of it.

Only one thing mattered: To get there in time.

Tripping over an abandoned crate, the boy only grunted softly when a splinter pierced through his skin. The pain crushing his chest was far worse, much more violent than anything he had ever experienced during his short life. And so, to erase the panic that threatened to overwhelm him as he envisioned a dark future, the child quickened his short strides. He covered the last few meters and swept in an old dilapidated building like a whirlwind. The darkness of the corridor with its decrepit walls suddenly replaced daylight and he slowed down for a moment to let his eyes get used to it.

The usually loud house was frighteningly quiet. He could only hear faraway sobs and his heart tightened with apprehension. Feeling his legs beginning to tremble, he walked towards the old staircase leading to the first floor and hesitantly placed his foot on the first step. The old wood creaked and made him jump.

"Gabriel, you must come, quickly!"

The alarming words suddenly came back to him and he hurried up the stairs before stopping on the threshold of the room the sobs and moans were coming from. The door was ajar and a ray of light fell on his pale face. Through the half-open door he could see two people in the room. The hard sobs that went right through the rotten wood were coming from Madame Bourdin, a rather old woman with light hair quickly gathered in a loose bun about to fall apart. Standing up, she was holding a handkerchief between her gnarled fingers and muttering inaudible words while holding a young girl against her amply proportioned body. Gabriel's eyes fell on the small figure struggling every time the embrace became too desperate and looking up curiously at her 'torturer'.

His throat tightened.

Despite his young age, he was perfectly aware of reality. He had witnessed similar situations so often that he couldn't lie to himself, couldn't hope for a miracle.

He knew what he would see behind that door.

Swallowing hard, Gabriel wiped the sweat off his face with a trembling hand, tucked his shirt in his trousers without thinking and opened the door wide. He had only taken one step into the room when a piercing cry was heard:

"Gabriel!"

He only had time to open his arms before the young girl threw herself at him. Gabriel held her close while his eyes were riveted on the ghostly form lying on the bed. Thin and pallid, Aura's body was terrifyingly still. Her long hair, once a fiery red but now turned dull by the illness, was spread out on the pillow, the only hint of color in such a morbid picture. Lit by only one candle, the small room was dark and extremely gloomy. Heavy faded fabric had been hung over the windows to filter the light that was so painful for the eyes of the dying woman, and the stench of death was everywhere despite the few flowers placed here and there in the room.

Ice-cold hands suddenly closed around his heart. Was he too late?

The woman lying on the bed shivered and, after a supreme effort, managed to open her eyes, but the pain in the boy's chest didn't disappear. With trembling legs, he walked around the bed, holding tightly onto the hand of the young girl who hadn't taken her eyes off him since he'd arrived. She was only four years old and obviously couldn't understand that their mother was about to leave them; that both their lives were just about to radically change.

Once he was level with the dying woman, he placed his free hand in hers, pale and lifeless as it was. He'd prepared himself for this. He'd been thinking about it for weeks, during which he'd tried to make himself stronger. But when his eyes met his mother's dull ones, the pain in his chest made him choke.

"Gabriel," she sighed, her voice barely audible. "You're finally here…"

"Yes, Mum," he replied with some effort his throat dry from his run.

Aura's hand removed itself from his grasp and slowly rose towards his face, stroking it with infinite tenderness. Gabriel immediately felt his eyes beginning to sting and had to bite his lip to hold back the tears. The young woman gave him a weak smile.

"My brave Gabriel," she said softly. "I love you and I'm… so proud of what you have become…"

She paused for a moment to get her breath back. As her eyes closed from the pain, Aura struggled bravely against a violent, exhausting and deadly fit of coughing. When she opened her eyes again, Gabriel was holding her clenched fist against his face and looking at her with inexpressible fright.

"Forgive me for leaving you so soon…"

The child shook his head slightly but was unable to utter a single word. Aura's fingers ran through his auburn curls to try to appease him.

"I want you to take good care of your sister," she went on. "She is so young… and so fragile. Do you promise me, Gabriel?"

"… I promise you," he said, hardly recognizing his voice.

Another smile stretched Aura's pale lips and she turned towards the silent girl.

"Karelle, my angel…"

"Mummy," she said, hesitantly placing her hand on her mother's emaciated arm.

She couldn't understand why their tones were so solemn. She couldn't understand why Madame Bourdin had been crying all morning. Why Gabriel had come back from the market so quickly. Why everything suddenly seemed so different.

"Listen to your big brother… Mummy has to go. He will look after you… when I'm gone." The girl blinked.

"When will you come back?" Aura's eyes filled with tears.

"I won't be coming back, my darling. I won't be able to…" she replied, forcing herself to smile.

"But…"

"Karelle." When her brother's authoritative yet broken voice rang, the girl fell quiet, her eyebrows furrowed. Softly, Aura's stroked Karelle's inscrutable face.

"Gabriel will explain everything… but I'm so tired. I need to rest now…"

The young woman's arm fell limply on the bed and she whispered: "Please give me a smile…"

The girl hesitated for a moment and then did as her mother asked. Aura no longer managed to hold back her tears and let them silently roll down her pale cheeks.

"Good," she whispered, closing her eyes. "Very good…"

Gabriel clenched his fists, struggling to hide his pain. He couldn't let Karelle see it. Seeing their mother crying was difficult enough already. He had to be strong. That was expected of him; that was what everybody expected of him.

"Gabriel?" the young girl called out, confused.

His jaw tense, the boy looked at his sister and managed a quick smile. He slowly took her hand in his and whispered.

"It'll be OK. I'm here."

The children were left alone in the dark room their mothers body was covered with a thin white sheet damp from the ocean mist that swept through the open window off to the side the sheets pulled down no longer needed. The room was cold now, no longer holding life other than the children who stared at the sheet. They hadn't moved since their mother died.

Karelle clung to her older brothers arm pulling it close to her body her eyes were tired her body sagged from standing all day. Gabriel however stood strong staring at where his mother's face rested, the slight indention where her nose pushed the white sheet away from her face.

Nothing could fight this silence.

Nothing could change what happened to her.

She was sick…that was it… she was gone.

Gabriel stood still holding his sisters hand tightly in the darkness it wasn't till his sister started trembling from the chilling air coming from the night outside. He turned looking at her again bending to her level taking her shoulders between his small hands forcing a smile in attempts to cheer the small girl up.

"Come on, we better get you into bed." He rasped his throat raw from running earlier in the day. They had been there all day with the body, while several people came to pay their respects to their mother. The people varying from the prim and proper that held their handkerchief to their nose to the lowest of cut throat who removed their hats in respect.

Walking out of the room Gabriel shut the door behind them and walked with her to her small closet sized room. While he went to get her something to drink she changed and cleaned herself up for sleep.

Upon his return she waited for her bedtime story and her glass of water.

"What will it be tonight, Karelle?" He asked pulling the old three legged stool from under the small desk.

"What was daddy like?" She asked meekly pulling the soft lavender sheet to her nose. Gabriel had only seen the man a few times and with their mother dead he was only angry with him for not being here, for running away.

His mother stopped smiling when that man left, stopped humming when she did the laundry, stopped singing in the shower. She only forced a smile for her children when they were around but even Karelle knew she wasn't who she used to be.

"Let's not talk about dad, how about pirates? You liked that one last time!"

"About Gold Roger?" She inquired rolling to her side for a better look at her brother. Even under the strain he felt he would tell her a story if it made her happy.

"Aye! Gold Roger the cut throat Pirate and his crew of misfits, he was known all around for his heinous crimes all around the Seas. He was king of the pirates, he had fame and power and wealth beyond anyone's wildest dreams." He stood crouching low to the ground looking around like this tale was a secret.

"Both feared and fearless Gold Roger navigated the far reaches of the Grandline and lived to tell the tale! It is said that he was the only one to make it there and no one knew that, that was where he held his massive amount of treasure!" Karelle's eyes grew wide with excitement.

"But Gold Roger didn't live to tell the tale for long, for his very last day alive, a scorcher of a day, but as hot as it was Roger still held his head high like the proud leader he was, as they marched his down main street in shackles and chains.

"He never showed fear not once, even as he marched up the last steps of his life, then they had a neck tie party for him and that was the end but not before saying one final statement!"

Gabriel got low again nearing his sister's bed she hid under her covers giggling.

"The last famous words from Gold Roger were; my fortune is yours for the taking, but you'll have to find it first, I left everything I own in the GRANDLINE!"

"What did he look like brother?" Karelle asked when Gabriel finished he looked down at her.

"He was a large man with a great big beard untouchable to the Navy!" He raised his arms high toward the ceiling using his strong voice to show how great the man had been she smiled getting excited again.

"He was tall and big as could be, for he ate all de time!" Karelle giggled and looked at her brother who danced around with a pillow stuffed under his shirt he grinned happy to see her happy.

"Grandline must be really hard to get too, you never hear about people making it there from the south blue." Karelle said. Gabriel nodded tucking her into her bed.

"It is a place that has taken many souls to the depths, Karelle, it's impossible to get there from any blue. Sleep tight I will see you tomorrow morning." He bent down kissing her forehead. She snuggled down into the covers and closed her emerald green eyes and tried to sleep. Gabriel looked back at her from the door and blew the candle out in the hallway and went to his own place of slumber.

Just maybe one day he would try to set out and do the impossible.

Karelle sat up from her bed gasping for air, she looked around her finding she was in the cabin and shouts could be heard above. Pushing the ratty covers from her frame she rushed up the stairs to the deck spotting the ship growing near.

"Ye be having a belly full of gut attacking a navy ship!" Karelle yelled once they were in ear shot. Dom grinned turning to run parallel his blade preparing to latch.

"I knew ye be aboard! Which reminds me what are ye doing?"

"Preparing to steal yer ship so I can make it up the First gate, ye can come along if you want."

"What makes you think that I will hand it over?" Dom challenged.

"We have twenty for guns and ye have fourteen, I counted them on my last visit!" He gasped and looked at Fingers who shrugged.

"Why are ye on a ship full of Navy scum."

"Because she is taking me to the grandline for her freedom, The Reaper is it not or is it Dom the merchant?" Dom looked at Karelle who seemed just as surprised as he was.

"Didn't think I knew you sailed two ships under different colors did you?" Dom looked back to his crew who fidgeted in their places. "No more a long the lines of hop'n ye didn't."

"Surrender your ship and act as my crew and the same offer will be on the table." Karelle looked at Dom who watched her carefully she looked down and off to the side. He knew why she took the deal, she had family somewhere all he had….all he had was Karelle.

"I don't be supposen you will have good bedding and food supplies on yer ship?" Karelle looked at Jude who nodded and motioned for the men to start loading everything up. While that was in the process Karelle went over to the Deals and walked to the wheel where Dom and Fingers resided watching over the crew members helping the navy mean.

"How do we get through?" Dom asked Karelle came up to their side and bit her lip. "There is an opening that can be entered only at night. It is a dangerous run…if we touch the sides we are dead."

*Page pause*

"I could give you the world Karelle," Jude said looking up at her she clamped her eyes tight before opening them again to stare again. The salty breeze whispered her name as its mist breathed caressed her face.

"You aren't a one woman, man Jude,"

"I would be for you." She looked down at him and smiled. "I wouldn't do that to you Jude."

"How do I prove it to you?" She turned to him touching his face gently.

"What was I wearing when I first met you?" he thought about it and shrugged, "How would I know that? That would be three years ago!" She nodded and turned back to the sea.

"Being with you Jude would be fun but the sea is my lover, I best be getting back to it. Until next time my love." She pulled her legs over the side and pushed over to the tree sitting just a little below her.

"Karelle…" he started but she was already down the tree and walking along the streets back to the dock where she was hoping Dom was still waiting for her. Much to her surprise he was there waiting as promised. He was leaning against some creates his head bowed his eyes closed till he heard her foot steps.

"You actually waited?" She asked as she reached him he stretched and nodded.

"Sail out, we've got treasure to be get'n" He called starting up the wooden loading plank Karelle fallowing behind him. They walked to the bridge he looked over to the side where Karelle stood. He looked at the wheel and grinned looking back at her and offered it up to her. She looked at him carefully then smiled taking it in between her hands.

"This is different; you letting me run your seat." He looked straight ahead.

"Can I ask you something?" Dom looked over at Karelle who was looking at him with an expression he had never seen him give.

"Aye." He said leaning on the wheel hovering near her.

"What was I wearing when we met?"

"Well nothing when I met you, the real you but I wasn't meet'n ye at first now was I?" She said a brow and he grinned. "Oh?" She asked.

"Aye it wasn't ye I met that night I met a woman name Zora Maddhouse. She be a goddess if I ever seen one. She wore a blue gown darker then the sea itself a sting of pearls around her neck straight from the clams mouth." He paused looking over at her from the corner of his eye; she was just smiling and looking forward.

"Her fiery locks were piled on her head with all sorts of precious jewels emerald eyes painted with skilled hands." She turned looking at him.

"When I tried taking her jewels she threatened to take my family jewels with a knife. That be when I found ye were a pirate and a dangerous one at that." Karelle smiled stepping to the side handing the wheel over to the fingers who had walk up the stairs.

*~*~*~ Page pause~*~*~

"Stop thinking I am just a woman I am more then capable then ye two buffoons at Navigating!" Karelle yelled slamming her hand over the map. They looked at her then looked over at each other again.

"Okay Karelle what say ye!" She glared at them and looked back to the map running her fingers across another line.

"If we continue on this path we are going to run into-" The ship sudden jolted sending the three of them to the side. Karelle was the first to recover as she raced up the stairs flinging the doors to the side and looked at the calm ocean. Walking to the railing she gripped it tightly and gripped the wood tightly looking into the blue depths.

"What was that?" Jude asked coming up to my side Jude on the other looking at the water.

"Mermaids…" Karelle said clenching her teeth and looked at Jude who hesitated but looked at Karelle.

"I told you so, just don't seem to do any justice." She said looking over at Dom. He rolled his eyes and the ship rocked again the men were all silent as they stared at the ocean all around them.

"Wait mermaids like gorgeous beings that have fins and seashells for tops?" Jude whispered as Karelle leaned over a little further. Her red hair fell over her shoulder hanging over the side.

"Contrary to belief mermaids aren't beautiful, they live underwater which means their pigment isn't going to be white it will appear green, most look just like water. They have a mouthful of jagged teeth like a shark and a mean temper when their territory is entered unannounced." She pushed from the wooden deck and motioned for Dom who looked up from the wheel. Pointing to the North he turned carefully and headed towards the crack between the mountains rather then through the clear looking bay.

"You seem to know an awful lot about them."

"She had to kill one to gain passage the last time she attempted this run, our girl here is well known for the blood that stains her hands, but they don't forget faces." Dom called from above the ship rocked again. Karelle looked down as Jude looked at her then Dom.

"Didn't know that did you?" Dom added. This ship rocked again this time with intent of spilling people over into the water. They gripped anything they could to keep from falling to the water as they drew closer to the narrow opening.

"What did you do to make them mad?" Jude asked looking down at Karelle who he held onto to keep her safe.

"First of all I killed their queen the most important one to a clan and second I kept the scepter to I could reach the second gate…I never made it that far before my ship was slammed into rock s few days later I woke up back in Normandy with a full crew and a new ship. The Magic that cover these mountains and gates are unpredictable if they don't think your worth getting through you wont!" Jude pulled Karelle with him as they hit the deck and rolled. The ship jerked a few more times before settling down again.


End file.
